Connecticut Wildlife Nov/Dec 2010

November/December 2010 PUBLISHED BY THE CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION BUREAU OF NATURAL RESOURCES ● WILDLIFE DIVISION November/December 200 Connecticut Wildlife Volume 30, Number 6 ● November / December 2010 EEyeye �� onon thethe WWildild �� Published bimonthly by State of Connecticut Connecticut Hunting & Fishing Appreciation Day 2010 Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Natural Resources After many months of hard work and planning, the Friends of Sessions Woods Wildlife Division and DEP cosponsored a fun-filled day of free activities on Saturday, September www.ct.gov/dep 25, at the Wildlife Division’s Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area Commissioner in Burlington (see page 9 to learn more). The idea to hold a “Connecticut Amey Marrella Hunting & Fishing Appreciation Day” transpired with the non-profit Friends Deputy Commissioner group. Friends wanted to show its appreciation to sportsmen and women for Susan Frechette Chief, Bureau of Natural Resources their contributions to the conservation of Connecticut’s natural resources by William Hyatt sponsoring a special day to celebrate hunting and fishing. Why hold such Director, Wildlife Division an event at Sessions Woods? The acquisition of this property, which is used Rick Jacobson by hikers, school and scout groups, hunters, and anglers, was made possible Magazine Staff through the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program. Federal aid also Editor Kathy Herz was instrumental in the establishment of the Sessions Woods Conservation Art Director/Photographer Paul Fusco Education Center. Hunters and anglers pay taxes and special fees on hunting Circulation Trish Cernik and fishing equipment to help fund wildlife and fish management, habitat restoration, and other conservation programs. Wildlife Division 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106-5127 (860-424-3011) One of the goals of CT Hunting & Fishing Appreciation Day was to hold a free Office of the Director, Recreation Management, Technical Assistance, event that would draw the participation of not only hunters and anglers, but Natural History Survey Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area families and others interested in the outdoors. The last Saturday in September P.O. Box 1550, Burlington, CT 06013 (860-675-8130) was chosen for the event because it also is National Hunting and Fishing Day. Wildlife Diversity, Birds, Furbearers, Outreach and Education, Habitat Management, Conservation Education/Firearms Safety, Connecticut However, several fairs and festivals also are held all over the state on the same Wildlife magazine day. The organizers of CT Hunting & Fishing Appreciation Day knew they had Franklin Wildlife Management Area a tremendous task in front of them. Friends offered financial support and also 391 Route 32, N. Franklin, CT 06254 (860-642-7239) Migratory Birds, Deer/Moose, Wild Turkey, Small Game, Wetlands obtained grants from the Main Street Community Foundation, and the Clinton Habitat and Mosquito Management, Conservation Education/Firearms S. Roberts Foundation. Organizers invited other DEP Divisions, sportsmen’s Safety, Wildlife Diversity organizations, and local outdoor equipment retailers to participate. They also Eastern District Area Headquarters 209 Hebron Road, Marlborough, CT 06447 (860-295-9523) planned a multitude of activities and presentations for all ages. Everyone did State Land and Private Land Habitat Management their best to spread the word about this new event. Connecticut Wildlife magazine (ISSN 1087-7525) is published bimonthly by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection When September 25 arrived with its warm, sunny weather, the people steadily Wildlife Division. Send all subscription orders and address changes to came to Sessions Woods, curious about CT Hunting & Fishing Appreciation Connecticut Wildlife, Sessions Woods WMA, P.O. Box 1550, Burlington, Day. They left happy and pleased with the activities and programs. Most CT 06013. Subscription rates are $8 for one year, $15 for two years, and $20 for three years. No refunds. Periodical postage paid at Burlington, surprising of all was the number of families with children that attended. CT CT, and additional entry offices. Postmaster: Please send all address Hunting & Fishing Appreciation Day turned out to be the perfect family changes to Connecticut Wildlife, P.O. Box 1550, Burlington, CT 06013. outing. The organizers accomplished their objective of getting families Web site: www.ct.gov/dep/wildlife outdoors and introducing them to a whole new world of wildlife and fisheries E-mail: [email protected] conservation and outdoor activities. Feedback from attendees and participants Phone: 860-675-8130 (volunteers, sportsmen’s groups, retailers) has all been positive. The Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program was initiated by sportsmen and conservationists to provide states with funding for wildlife management The Wildlife Division would like to extend its appreciation to everyone who and research programs, habitat acquisition, wildlife management area de- velopment, and hunter education programs. Connecticut Wildlife contains worked hard to make CT Hunting & Fishing Appreciation Day a resounding articles reporting on Wildlife Division projects funded entirely or in part success. with federal aid monies. The DEP is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and service Kathy Herz, Editor provider. In conformance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, DEP makes every effort to provide equally effective services for persons with disabilities. Individuals with disabilities who need this information in an alternative format, to allow them to benefit and/or participate in the agency’s programs and services, should call 860-424-3051 or 860-418-5937, or e-mail Marcia Bonitto, Cover: ADA Coordinator, at [email protected]. Persons who are hearing impaired should call the State of Connecticut relay number 711. Copyright 2010 by the Connecticut DEP Wildlife Division. The Wildlife Division Northern saw-whet owls spend the winter in Connecticut, roosting grants permission to reprint text, not artwork or photos, provided the DEP Wildlife in dense evergreens near their hunting grounds. Read the article on Division is credited. Artwork and photographs printed in this publication are copyrighted by the CT DEP Wildlife Division. Any unauthorized use of artwork and page 3 to learn more about a project to improve their winter roosting photos is prohibited. Please contact the editor at the Sessions Woods office to obtain habitat. permission for reprinting articles. Printed on recycled paper Photo courtesy of Paul J. Fusco 2 Connecticut Wildlife November/December 200 Restoring Winter Roosting Habitat for the Saw-whet Owl Written by Peter Picone Habitat is the foundation of wildlife’s existence and, for some species, special J. FUSCO P. habitats can become even more important seasonally. This is the case with the Northern saw-whet owl, which uses evergreen roosting cover during late fall and winter. The saw-whet is Connecticut’s small- est owl. It hunts for white-footed mice in the darkness of night. After their hunting forays, the owls seek the protective cover of evergreens. Saw-whets winter in Connecticut, roosting in dense evergreens near their winter hunting grounds. Ever- greens provide important thermal cover during the cold winter months and protection from larger avian predators during daylight hours. Saw-whets also occasion- ally store captured prey on evergreen branches for later consumption. As forests age, evergreens like red cedar are displaced by oaks, hickories, The northern saw-whet owl uses evergreen cover for roosting and protection in winter. and maples. Without forest management, shade-intolerant, early colonizers, such as of the planting stock (bare root white tion project, especially the USDA Natural red cedar, die off in 25 to 30 years. pine, Norway spruce, white spruce) was Resource Conservation Service, DEP The Wildlife Division received a donated by Richard Jaynes of Broken Ar- Parks Division, Master Wildlife Conser- U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife row Nursery, in Hamden. As the planted vationists, and New Britain High School Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) grant evergreens grow, they will improve and invasive plant management volunteers. to restore evergreen habitat at a saw-whet retain the Northern saw-whet owl’s win- Peter Picone is biologist with the Wildlife owl winter roosting site on state land ter roosting sites on the property. Division’s Habitat Management Program in New Haven County. Restoration and The Division is grateful to its partners enhancement of evergreen habitat was who helped facilitate this habitat restora- accomplished by clearing away hard- wood tree competition around existing evergreens (known as daylighting); and planting new evergreens in clusters near former and current winter roosting areas. The daylighting of evergreens and site preparation for plantings was accomplished in 2008 with the use of a “brontosaurus” mower. This large apparatus has a drum-chop mow- ing head that chomps, grinds, and PROGRAM MANAGEMENT PICONE, HABITAT P. mulches woody vegetation to ground level. Habitat managers consider this machine one of the best tools of the trade to improve sunlight conditions and restore young forests. In fall 2009 and spring 2010, red cedar, white pine, white spruce, and Norway spruce were planted by Division staff and volunteer Master Wildlife Conservationists in areas cleared by the brontosaurus.

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